What a week for Milan Borjan.
Last Tuesday, the 26-year-old goalkeeper had been without a club for months when he stood on his head for Canada in their 3-1 victory in a friendly against Jamaica, helping his country earn its first international victory in nearly two years.
Then, just seven days later, Borjan found himself starting in the UEFA Champions League against Liverpool at Anfield. Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad signed Borjan last Friday on an emergency basis after a suspension to their starter and an injury to their backup.
Borjan made several good saves against Liverpool and also made a bit of history, becoming the first Canadian international to play in the UEFA Champions League group stage since 2007 (Lars Hirschfeld for Rosenborg). But the fairy-tale week had a sour ending, as Borjan conceded a penalty in second-half stoppage time – converted by Steven Gerrard – as the Reds emerged with a 2-1 win.
There were, however, better results for a couple of other Canadian goalkeepers: David Monsalve continued his solid season for AC Oulu in Finland, nabbing another clean sheet in his club’s 2-0 win over PK-35 Vantaa. And Tomer Chencinski, in his debut for Hapoel Nir Ramat Hasharon in Israel, also recorded a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over Hapoel Jerusalem.
Simeon Jackson – much like Borjan – got a bit of a bump after participating in Canada’s friendly last week. The striker picked up his first goal for Coventry City on Saturday, with his second-half tally standing up as the winner in a 2-1 decision against Yeovil Town.
Jackson didn’t find the back of the net for Canada in the win against Jamaica last week, but defender David Edgar did – in spectacular fashion – and on Saturday, he was back in his customary spot on Birmingham City’s backline, holding firm in a 1-1 draw with Leeds United.
As for Canada’s two other goalscorers against Jamaica?
Tosaint Ricketts started for Hapoel Haifa in their season opener in Israeli league play, a 1-1 draw with Hapoel Acre, but Marcel de Jong was an unused sub for Augsburg in their 1-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in Bundesliga play.
It was also a rough weekend in Germany for Andre Hainault, who not only saw his club, VfR Aalen, go down to a 4-1 defeat against Ingolstadt, but also had the dubious honor of recording an own goal in second-half stoppage time.
But a couple of other Canadians got on the scoresheet in a positive manner. Both Marcus Haber (Crewe Alexandra) and Fraser Aird (Rangers) recorded assists for their respective clubs in wins over the weekend.
Aird’s erstwhile teammate Luca Gasparotto made his debut for Scotland’s Airdrieonians (on loan from Rangers), going the full 90 in a 3-1 loss to Greenock Morton on Saturday.
Junior Hoilett went the full 90 for Premier League bottom dweller QPR in a comprehensive 4-0 loss to Manchester United on Sunday.
Amidst all the wild fluctuations this week, there was one completely predictable and reliable result: Atiba Hutchinson was a lynchpin in midfield for Besiktas, going the distance in Monday’s 1-1 draw with Rizespor.
